Designation: D 2950 91 (Reapproved 1997)

Standard Test Method for

Density of Bituminous Concrete in Place by Nuclear

Methods1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 2950; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

compacted bituminous mixtures.

3.2 With proper calibration and confirmation testing, the test
method is suitable for quality control and acceptance testing of
compacted bituminous concrete.
3.3 The test method can be used to establish the proper
rolling effort and pattern to achieve the required density.
3.4 The non-destructive nature of the test allows repetitive
measurements to be made at a single test location between
roller passes and to monitor changes in density.
3.5 The density results obtained by this test method are
relative. Correlation with other test methods such as D 1188 or
D 2726 are required to convert the results obtained using this
method to actual density. It is recommended that at least seven
core densities and seven nuclear densities be used to establish
a conversion factor. A new factor must be established at any
time a change is made in the paving mixture or in the
construction process.

1. Scope
1.1 This test method describes a test procedure for determining the density of bituminous concrete by the attenuation of
gamma radiation, where the source and detector(s) remain on
the surface (Backscatter Method) or the source or detector is
placed at a known depth up to 300 mm (12 in.) while the
detector or source remains on the surface (Direct Transmission
Method).
1.2 The density, in mass per unit volume of the material
under test, is determined by comparing the detected rate of
gamma emissions with previously established calibration data.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific
warning statements see Section 6 and Note 4.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard. The inch-pound equivalents may be approximate.

4. Interferences
4.1 The chemical composition of the material being tested
may significantly affect the measurement and adjustments may
be necessary. Certain elements with atomic numbers greater
than 20 may cause erroneously high test values.
4.2 The test method exhibits spatial bias in that the instrument is most sensitive to the density of the material in closest
proximity to the nuclear source.
4.2.1 When measuring the density of an overlay, it may be
necessary to employ a correction factor if the underlying
material varies in thickness, mineral composition or degree of
consolidation at different points within the project. (See Annex
A3.)
4.2.2 The surface roughness of the material being tested
may cause lower than actual density determination.
4.3 Oversize aggregate particles in the source-detector path
may cause higher than actual density determination.
4.4 The sample volume being tested is approximately
0.0028 m3 (0.0989 ft3) for the Backscatter Method and 0.0056
m3 (0.198 ft3) for the Direct Transmission Method. The actual
sample volume varies with the apparatus and the density of the
material. In general, the higher the density the smaller the
volume (Note 1).

2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 1188 Test Method for Bulk Specific Gravity and Density
of Compacted Bituminous Mixtures Using Paraffin-Coated
Specimens2
D 1559 Test Method for Resistance to Plastic Flow of
Bituminous Mixtures Using Marshall Apparatus2
D 2041 Test Method for Theoretical Maximum Specific
Gravity of Bituminous Paving Mixtures2
D 2726 Test Method for Bulk Specific Gravity and Density
of Non-Absorptive Compacted Bituminous Mixtures2
D 3665 Practice for Random Sampling of Construction
Materials2
3. Significance and Use
3.1 The test method described is useful as a rapid, nondestructive technique for determining the in-place density of
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-4 on Road
and Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.21 on
Specific Gravity and Density of Bituminous Mixtures.
Current edition approved Jan. 25, 1991. Published March 1991. Originally
published as D 2950 71T. Last previous edition D 2950 82.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.03.

NOTE 1The volume of field compacted material represented by a test

Copyright ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

D 2950
a reference standard. The reference count rate should be of the
same order of magnitude as the measured count rate over the
useful density range of the apparatus.
8.2 Standardization of equipment should be performed at
the start of each days work, and a permanent record of this
data retained.
8.2.1 Perform the standardization with the apparatus located
at least 8 m (25 ft) away from other sources of radioactivity and
clear of large masses or other items which may affect the
reference count rate.
8.2.2 Turn on the apparatus prior to standardization and
allow it to stabilize. Follow the manufacturers recommendations in order to provide the most stable and consistent results.
8.2.3 Using the reference standard, take at least four repetitive readings at the normal measurement period and determine
the mean. If available on the apparatus, one measurement
period of four or more times the normal period is acceptable.
This constitutes one standardization check.
8.2.4 If the value obtained in 8.2.3 is within the following
stated limits, the apparatus is considered to be in satisfactory
operating condition and the value may be used to determine the
count ratios for the day of use. If the value is outside these
limits, allow additional time for the apparatus to stabilize,
make sure the area is clear of sources of interference and then
conduct another standardization check. If the second standardization check is within the limits, the apparatus may be used,
but if it also fails the test, the apparatus shall be adjusted or
repaired as recommended by the manufacturer. The limits are
as follows:

can be effectively increased by repeating the test at adjacent locations and

averaging the results.

4.5 If samples of the measured material are to be taken for

purposes of correlation with other test methods such as D 1188
or D 2726, the volume measured can be approximated by a 200
mm (8 in.) diameter cylinder located directly under the center
line of the radioactive source and detector(s). The height of the
cylinder to be excavated will be the depth setting of the source
rod when using the Direct Transmission Method or approximately 75 mm (3 in.) when using the Backscatter Method
(Note 2).
NOTE 2If the layer of bituminous concrete to be measured is less than
the depth of measurement of the instrument, corrections must be made to
the measurements to obtain accurate results due to the influence of the
density of the underlying material. (See Annex A3. for the method used.)

5. Apparatus
5.1 Nuclear Device An electronic counting instrument,
capable of being seated on the surface of the material under
test, and which contains:
5.1.1 Gamma Source A sealed high energy gamma source
such as cesium or radium, and
5.1.2 Gamma Detector Any type of gamma detector such
as a Geiger-Mueller tube(s).
5.2 Reference StandardA block of dense material used for
checking instrument operation and to establish conditions for a
reproducible reference-count rate.
5.3 Site Preparation DeviceA metal plate, straightedge, or
other suitable leveling tool which may be used to level the test
site to the required smoothness using fine sand or similar
material.
5.4 Drive PinA steel rod of slightly larger diameter than
the rod in the Direct Transmission Instrument, to prepare a
perpendicular hole in the material under test for inserting the
rod. A drill may also be used.

? Ns 2 N o ? # 2.0 =No/F

(1)

where:
Ns 5 value of current standardization count,
No 5 average of the past four values of Ns taken previously,
and
F 5 value of any prescale.

6. Hazards
6.1 This equipment utilizes radioactive materials which may
be hazardous to the health of the users unless proper precautions are taken. Users of this equipment must become familiar
with applicable safety procedures and government regulations.
6.2 Effective user instructions together with routine safety
procedures, such as source leak tests, recording and evaluation
of film badge data, etc. are a recommended part of the
operational guidelines for the use of this instrument.
6.3 A regulatory agency radioactive materials license may
be required to possess this equipment.

NOTE 3The count per measurement periods shall be the total number
of gammas detected during the timed period. The displayed value must be
corrected for any prescaling which is built into the instrument. The
prescale value (F) is a divisor which reduces the actual value for the
purpose of display. The manufacturer will supply this value if other than
1.0.

8.3 Use the value of Ns to determine the count ratios for the
current days use of the instrument. If for any reason the
measured density becomes suspect during the days use,
perform another standardization check.
9. Procedure
9.1 In order to provide more stable and consistent results:
(1) Turn the instrument on prior to use to allow it to stabilize,
and (2) Leave the power on druing the days testing.
9.2 Standardize the apparatus.
9.3 Select a test location in accordance wtih the project
specifications, or, if not otherwise specified, in accordance with
Practice D 3665. If the instrument will be closer than 250 mm
(10 in.) to any vertical mass that may influence the result,
follow the instrument manufacturers correction procedure.
9.4 Maximum contact between the base of the instrument
and the surface of the material under test is critical. The

7. Calibration
7.1 Calibrate the instrument in accordance with Annex A1.
at least once each year. Adjust the calibrations as necessary in
accordance with Annex A2.
8. Standardization and Reference Check
8.1 Nuclear test devices are subject to long-term aging of
the radioactive source, detectors, and electronic systems, which
may change the relationship between count rate and material
density. To offset this aging, the apparatus may be standardized
as the ratio of the measured count rate to a count rate made on
2

D 2950
11.1.3 Date of test,
11.1.4 Standard count for the day of the test,
11.1.5 Test site description including project identification
number, location and mixture type(s),
11.1.6 Thickness of layer tested and any adjustment bias,
11.1.7 Method of measurement (backscatter or direct transmission), depth, count rate, calculated density of each measurement and any adjustment data, and
11.1.8 Percentage of compaction, if required.

maximum void shall not exceed 6 mm (14 in.). Use native fines
or fine sand to fill the voids and level with the guide/scraper
plate.
9.5 For the Direct Transmission Method use the guide/
scraper plate and drive the steel rod to a depth of at least 25 mm
(1 in.) deeper than the desired measurement depth.
NOTE 4Caution: Extreme care must be taken when driving the rod
into compacted bituminous concrete as it may cause a disturbance of the
material which could cause errors in the measurement. Drilling may be
more suitable.

12. Precision and Bias

12.1 Precision:
12.1.1 While an instrument count precision of 10 kg/m 3
(0.62 lbf/ft3) for the Backscatter Method and 5 kg/m 3 (0.31
lbf/ft3) for the Direct Transmission Method is typical on a
material of approximately 2.25 mg/m3 (140 lbf/ft3) density,
with a measurement time of one minute, it only applies to the
instrument for repetitive measurements at the same location.
12.1.2 Instrument count precision is defined as the change
in density that occurs corresponding to a one standard deviation change in the count due to the random decay of the
radioactive source. The density of the material should be in the
approximate range of 2150 and 2350 kg/m 3 (135 to 145
lbf/ft3). Both the density of the material and the time period of
the count must be stated. It may be determined from a series of
20 or more counts taken without moving the instrument, or
alternately from the calibration data using the assumption that
s is equal to the =count at that density. The count must be the
true instrument count corrected for any pre-scaling.

9.6 Place the source in the proper position. For the Direct
Transmission Method measurements move the instrument so
that the rod is firmly against the side of the hole in the gamma
measurement path.
9.7 Take a count for the normal measurement period. If the
Backscatter Method using the Air Gap Technique is used take
an additional measurement in the air-gap position as recommended by the manufacturer. (See Note 2)
9.8 Determine the ratio of the reading to the standard count
or the air-gap count. From this ratio and the calibration and
adjustment data, determine the in-place density. (See Note 5
and Note 6)
NOTE 5Some instruments have built-in provisions to compute the
ratio, bulk (or wet) density, and allow an adjustment bias.
NOTE 6If the depth of the bituminous concrete layer under test is less
than the depth of measurement of the instrument, the value obtained in 9.8
must be adjusted. (See Annex A3.)
NOTE 7Do not leave the gage on a hot surface for an extended period
of time. Prolonged high temperatures may adversely affect the instruments electronics. The gage should be allowed to cool between measurements.

s
P5S

10. Calculation of Results

10.1 Using the calibration chart, calibration tables, or equation, and coefficients, or instrument direct readout feature, with
appropriate calibration adjustments, determine the in-place
density. This is the bulk (or wet) density.
10.1.1 An adjustment bias can be calculated by comparing
the results from a number of instrument measurements to the
results obtained using Test Method D 2726.
10.2 Compare the results obtained to samples compacted by
Test Method D 1559 or with the results of test methods such as
D 2041 to determine acceptability (percentage of compaction).

(2)

where:
P 5 apparatus precision in density (kg/m3 or lbf/ft3),
s 5 one standard deviation of the count, and
S 5 the slope of the calibration curve at the defined density
value.
12.2 Bias:
12.2.1 Due to the variability in materials and construction
practices, no methods are presently available that provide
sufficiently accurate values of density of bituminous concrete
against which this test can be compared. Accordingly, a
statement of method bias cannot be made.

11. Report
11.1 Report the following information:
11.1.1 Make, model, and serial number of the test apparatus,
11.1.2 Date and source of calibration data,

13. Keywords
13.1 bituminous-concrete density; density; in-place density;
nuclear test method

D 2950
ANNEXES
(Mandatory Information)
A1. CALIBRATION

A1.1 Calibration of the apparatus shall be in accordance

with the manufacturers recommended procedures for the
instrument.

of the following methods. The standards shall be of sufficient

size to not change the count rate if enlarged in any dimension
(Note A1.1).

A1.2 At least once each year and after all major repairs
which may affect the instrument geometry, the calibration
curves, tables, or equation coefficients shall be verified or
reestablished.

NOTE A1.1Minimum surface dimensions of approximately 610 mm

long by 430 mm wide (24 by 17 in.) have proven satisfactory. For the
Backscatter Method a minimum depth of 230 mm (9 in.) is adequate. For
the Direct Transmission Method the depth shall be at least 50 mm (2 in.)
deeper than the deepest rod depth. A larger surface area may be required
for the Backscatter Method using the Air-Gap technique. Minimum
surface dimensions may be reduced slightly if the standards are adjacent
to a dense material.

A1.3 The instrument shall be calibrated in such a way as to

produce a calibration response within6 16 kg/m3 (61.0 lbf/ft3)
on blocks of materials (standards) of established densities.
Because nuclear instrument response is influenced by the
chemical composition of measured material, the chemical
composition of the standard blocks must be taken into account
in establishing the standard density. The densities of materials
used to establish or verify the calibration should extend
through a range wide enough to include the types and density
of the in-place materials to be tested.

A1.7.1.1 Prepare standards of soil and rock compacted to a

range of densities. In building the standards, place the material
in lifts whose thickness depends upon the compaction equipment available. Each lift is to receive equal compactive effort.
Calculate the density of each standard based on the measured
volume and mass of the standard.
A1.7.1.2 Prepare standards of in-place concrete using different aggregates and aggregate mixes to obtain a range of
densities. The concrete shall be placed in a way that will ensure
a uniform mixture and uniform densities of the standards.
Calculate the density of each standard based on the measured
volume and mass of the standard.
A1.7.1.3 Prepare standards of stable non-soil materials.
Determine the soil and rock equivalent density of each standard
based on the measured volume and mass of the standard.

A1.4 Sufficient data shall be taken on each density standard

to ensure an instrument count precision of at least one-half the
instrument count precision required for field use. The data may
be presented in the form of a graph, table, equation coefficients,
or stored in the apparatus to allow converting the count-rate
data to material density.
A1.5 The method and test procedures used in establishing
the count-rate data shall be the same as those used for obtaining
the count-rate data for in-place material.

NOTE A1.2Standards prepared using magnesium, aluminum or laminated blocks of magnesium/aluminum sheets of equal thickness (maximum 1.0 mm) as well as solid blocks of granite and limestone have been
used successfully for years in establishing and verifying calibrations.

A1.6 The material type, density, and calculated material

equivalent density of each calibration standard used to establish or verify the instrument calibration shall be stated as part
of the calibration data.

A1.7.1.4 The density of these standards shall be determined

to an accuracy of 60.3 %.

A1.7 Calibration Standards:

A1.7.1 Calibration standards may be established using one

A2. CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENTS

A2.1 The calibration response shall be checked by the user

prior to performing tests on materials that are distinctly
different from the material types used in establishing the
calibration. The calibration response shall also be checked on
newly acquired or repaired apparatus.

A2.2 Take a sufficient number of measurements and compare them to other accepted methods such as volumetric
sampling (Test Method D 2726) to establish a correlation
between the apparatus calibration and the other method(s).

D 2950
A3. DETERMINATION OF DEPTH OF MEASUREMENT

A3.1 The depth of measurement is characteristic of a

particular instrument design and may be defined as that depth,
measured from the surface, at which a significant change in
density will not result in change in the measurement.
A3.1.1 Determine the depth by measuring the apparent
density of top layers of uniform density but varying thicknesses
placed over a base layer having a highly different density. Vary
the thickness of the top layer until a constant density as
determined by the instrument is reached (Note A3.2).

direct transmission mode is suggested. Thin lift gages can be used for lift
thicknesses up to 102 mm (4 in.).
NOTE A3.2Materials such as magnesium and aluminum in sheet form
have proven to be satisfactory for the top layer. Blocks of magnesium and
aluminum used as calibration standards are useful as the base material.

A3.1.2 Plot the results on graph paper and determine the

depth at which the apparent measured density is equal to the
calculated density. This determination should be made for both
a lower density material and a higher density material as the
top layer. The depth of measurement is the average of the two
results.

NOTE A3.1For lift thicknesses of 51 mm (2 in.) or less, the backscatter mode is suggested; for lift thicknesses greater than 51 mm (2 in.) the

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